Broken Fighter
by HellHasLeftMeLost
Summary: Welcome to my second fic: What they did to him, I want to do the same to them. They should pay, but he won't let me, will he? He'll never be the same... :ZADR: HAITUS! :0 *ideas appreciated!*
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own IZ. Yay! It's a second fic! I feel all happy that I did another one. Either way, this is more "serious" in a way, plot-wise. This was going to be a Zim is hurt by water badly and Dib helps him story, but i changed it. I think this is better, yes? I've noticed that I write half seriousd, half horrible. Though, I'm sure some of you like/will like my weird style…..I hope…

_Chapter 1_

It was a cloudy day outside, and the sun had just begun to set. But inside, Dib was just considering going out. It was the middle of summer, making the weather hot, naturally. Yet, he still wore his trademark trenchcoat.

He wandered from the couch to the door, hesitating a moment before going outside. He stood out from everyone else. Wearing black pants, a blue shirt, and a trenchcoat is not common in the middle of July, but Dib didn't care.

Today was a cooler summer day, a refreshing breeze blowing. There were other kids outside, some swimming, some riding bikes and skate-boards, and others were playing in the sprinklers with a Slip n' Slide. The sounds of children tying to use up the last few minutes of daylight filled Dib's ears as he started to walk. There was no destination for the boy; he just wanted to do something besides play online.

'_So bored…must…revive…mind…"_ Dib though.

He continued on, walking past the edge of the neighborhood. There was an empty field that no one really used. Dib would go there when he wanted to be alone fully. He would think about things there. Like how the past week in school was quiet because a certain green boy went missing.

Dib went to Zim's house the day he was not there, planning to stop his plan. He was shocked to see the glowing green house gone. But Zim had seemed to forget a certain robot, which could've been on purpose. Gir had started living mainly in Dib's house, but he would disappear for hours.

This would be the second week without Zim around. Dib had lapsed into being a "normal student," which scared some of his classmates. He had no need to continue his paranormal search while in Skool. But at home, he still did.

"Dib!" A familiar voice called weakly.

Dib stopped, looking around for the source of the voice. He was almost knocked over as a figure tackled him. Dib grabbed the figure and roughly threw it off of him.

"Zim." Dib snarled, clenching his hands into fists and glaring at him. "Where were you? Planning against me again?"

Zim had caught himself from falling and was currently half-kneeling on the ground. His figure was silhouetted, making it hard to make out details. "None of your business." He almost whispered.

"You're not going to tell me, huh?" Dib snapped.

A cold wind blew, causing Zim to shiver violently. Dib stared at him, head tilted to one side, his look softening. Zim pulled into himself as he shook, antennae quivering. Dib looked at Zim, trying to see through the dark. The most he could make out was that Zim was not in his disguise.

Dib flinched. "Zim?"

Zim cringed. "What?" He snarled, his voice stressed.

"You're not in your disguise. Don't you care that people could find out what you are?" He stepped closer to Zim, trying to see why the alien had not gotten up yet.

"Leave me alone, Human." There was a hint of pain in his voice.

Dib had gotten close enough to tell why Zim hadn't moved, and it shocked him. He suddenly looked concerned as he noticed Zim's true condition.

The green boy was bleeding, his blood a color similar to a humans. There were miscellaneous cuts covering him, some seeming to be life threatening. The uniform he wore was shredded and blood soaked. He was shaking, and even though his head was down, Dib could see an expression of pain on his face. Zim's skin looked to be pale, and it was marked with bruises. That confused Dib; he thought that aliens couldn't go pale like humans could.

The sky darkened, and Dib felt something wet hit his face. Looking up, his glasses were hit with a few more drops of rain. A sharp hiss brought his attention back to the boy beside him.

"Zim?" Dib said, his voice quiet.

The boy in question gritted his teeth. "What do you want, Dib-stink?" Zim growled.

"Do you need help?" It was an innocent question.

Zim pushed himself up. "Zim needs no help, human!" Zim yelled, his voice hoarse. He managed to take a few steps before collapsing to the ground again. "I don't need your help."

Zim hissed as more drops hit his skin, burning it. Water was acid to him, and he was quickly overtaken in a haze of pain as the rain fell faster. The pain was the equivalent to having boiling hot water spray you. Zim closed his eyes tight, trying to hold together, not giving into the pain. The pain increased as more rain hit him, pushing him to the breaking point.

The water stopped hitting Zim suddenly, and he dared to look up.

Dib stood there, holding the right side of his coat out over him, forming a shield against the rain. Zim looked at him, confused, and he shook lightly.

"Its okay, Zim." Dib smiled slightly.

Zim looked away, at the same time cradling his left arm in his lap. "Don't waste your time helping me, Dib-stink. I'm not worth it."

"Why? What happened?"

"No." Zim coughed, leaning over his knees, gagging a few times before finally throwing up.

Dib's eyes widened as he saw the reddish color stain the grass. He knelt down, wrapping his coat around the shuddering boy, holding him close. Zim leaned against Dib, not caring if he was openly letting a weakness show.

Without thinking, Dib stood, picking up Zim in the process. Zim pulled the loose piece of coat around him as best he could, burring his face under the part that covered Dib's shoulder. When Dib saw that Zim was not going to fight him, he started to run back to his house. His basement held a small infirmary, which he could use.

Dib paused for a moment, once reaching his house, to open the door. No one was home, and Dib wasted no time making his way to the basement. He quickly made his way into the infirmary and laid Zim on the cot. Looking the boy over, Dib noticed most of his injuries were on his torso and arms.

"You're not going to like this, but you'll have to take your…shirt off." Dib said, grabbing nearby medical supplies.

To his surprise, Zim didn't argue with him.

Dib stood next to the cot, deciding to treat the wounds on his abdomen first. After warning Zim what he was going to do, Dib started to stitch the large gash on his right side closed. Dib didn't bother to do a professional job, he just wanted to get the wound sealed for the most part. After loosely stitching others, Dib wrapped Zim's middle in gauze bandages.

A few patches over minor cuts left Zim's arms and face left to be covered. His right arm was not bad, and the few cuts were wrapped. Dib grabbed Zim's left arm, which resulted in a pained whimper from the Irken. Letting his arm go, Dib patched the cuts on Zims face. Zim held his left arm limply in his lap, as if to protect it.

"Zim, I need to see your arm." Dib whispered, holding his hand out.

"You won't be able to fix it." Zim muttered, antennae lowering back against his skull. "It's broken."

Dib flinched before grabbing something out of a med-kit. "Let me see. If anything, putting it in a splint could help."

Zim obeyed, letting out a weak hiss in pain as Dib worked. This was so degrading for Zim, though he did not seem to care. Something bad had happened in his absence, Dib could tell, and it wasn't just the injuries. Dib sat next to Zim on the cot, looking him over as he laid back down.

"You want to tell me what happened?" Dib asked, trying to sound as calm and caring as he could.

Zim looked away, sighing. "I…it started when I went to see my Tallest. They called me to their ship, the Massive…so I rushed there. They…didn't want me alive anymore. I was…tortured with pain. I was cut, shocked, and beaten by them." He shuddered, closing his eyes tightly. "I escaped…and that's when I met up with you."

Dib gasped quietly, and Zim was almost immediately wrapped in a light hug. Zim's eyes shot open, and he looked back at the boy hugging him. A light blush formed on his face as he leaned his head against the others, a single red tear running down his cheek.

"I'm sorry." Dib whispered.

Zim hugged the boy back the best he could, burying his face in Dib's neck. He let out a quiet whimper and let himself cry. He cried for all of the pain he was in, all the pain that was caused to him, and the abandonment he felt.

Dib held the sobbing boy close, comforting him. He sat back up, pulling the Irken partially into his lap. "It's okay now, Zim."

Zim grasped the back of Dib's shirt in his good hand, nuzzling farther into the boys neck. His grip tightened as his body convulsed, though the movement was lessened by Dib's presence there. He coughed, a small amount of blood spraying Dib's shirt. The convulsions ceased, leaving Zim clinging to the boy next to him, a small line of blood running from his mouth.

------------------------------

End of Chapter 1

**Note:** Yeah, yeah. Its rushed, right? Sorry. R&R


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own IZ. I have given you all another short chapter. Enjoy!

_Chapter 2_

Dib looked down at Zim, a look of confusion and shock appearing on his face. He leaned Zim back, holding him up with his left arm. A shaky hand reached up to wipe the blood off Zim's face.

"What just happened, Zim?" Dib whispered, his voice quivering.

Zim shook, glancing up at Dib with wide eyes. "A side-effect to being…overexposed to…electric shocks." His voice cracked, new tears forming in his eyes.

Dib smoothed back Zim's antennae, as if to be petting a cat. He felt tears forming in his eyes, but ignored it. It was only because he was scared about what had just happened; that was it, right? Zim was shaking lightly, some of it twitches from the earlier tremors. He pulled his arms back, wrapping the injured one over his chest, the other clinging to the front of Dib's shirt.

Zim looked at Dib with hurt eyes, new tears starting down his face. "I'm going…to be suffering…now." He whimpered. "Dib…the _pain_…"

Dib stared at Zim as his face twisted in pain. He gently pulled the Irken close, resting his chin on the others head. A bang upstairs let Dib know that Gaz had returned home. It was silent then, minus ones' muffled sobs.

Dib was confused; he didn't fully understand what just happened. Within the last hour or so, his sworn enemy just lost that status. Zim was suffering from what seemed to be a neurological disorder that was brought upon him from electro-shock torture. He seemed to be so weak now, so _needy_. It was at that fact that Dib let himself comfort Zim.

"You'll be okay, right?" Dib found himself saying, his voice quiet.

Zim pulled closer to Dib, tilting his face away to stare at the wall. "I don't know."

"Know this, Zim: I'll help you…and, I'll protect you."

The Irken cried harder then, turning back to burry his face into the others neck. Zim muttered a few words between sobs, none of which were legible. Dib didn't expect this kind of reaction. It was almost like Zim had never had someone around who cared. Zim seemed to be constantly calm and more of a loner, but Dib's last sentence seemed to break that mask. Dib began to rock Zim lightly, trying a new method to calm him.

Zim started to calm, his sobs turning into quiet tears. "Thank you…Dib-human…" He hugged Dib with his good arm, relaxing into the warmth next to him.

"It's not right that your leaders did this. If I ever meet them, I swear--"

"Don't."

A pause. "Why? You don't want some form of revenge?"

Zim shook his head. "Its not worth it." He looked up at Dib. "They'll kill you."

"They almost killed _you_." Dib leaned his forehead against Zim's. "I don't understand why, but it _hurts_ to think that you could've ended up dead. I would've never known, and you probably would've ended up as a distant memory. I really don't know what I would do if that had happened."

"You care about me…don't you?" Zim whispered, leaning his forehead back against the others. "I…don't care if…if you do."

Dib tilted his chin up, catching Zim's lips in a light kiss before backing off to look down at the other. A light blush formed on Zim's face as he pulled closer to Dib. Zim felt himself beginning to shake, so he tightened his grip on Dib. He was cold, but the shaking hurt.

"You'll be alright now." Dib whispered, pulling the shivering alien close. "I'll make sure of it."

Zim nodded, nuzzling deeper into the boys neck. Dib reached up to pet Zims' antennae again, trying to keep him calm. The Irken sighed, letting sleep take him over.

Dib stared down at the sleeping form that clung to him and smiled. His father wouldn't be home, and his sister would leave him be, so Dib wasn't too nervous about someone walking in. He decided that sleeping wasn't such a bad idea. Dib laid down, making sure not to disturb Zim, and drifted off to sleep.

---------------------

End of Chapter 2

**Note:** Yeah…endings a little blah right there…oh well. Anyway, R&R.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own IZ. 'tis be another chapter…I think I went a little out of character here, right? Anyway…next chapter will be up shortly…I hope.

_Chapter 3_

Dib was woken up by a pain and wet sensation on his chest. He could hear someone muttering, and traced the noise to the boy next to him. Zim's claws were digging deeper into Dib's skin, his tears wetting the shirt he wore.

"D-D-Dib…p-please...w-wake up." Zim kept repeating, crying so hard he could barely catch his breath.

Dib placed a hand on Zim's head. "What's wrong Zim?"

Zim cried harder, pulling closer to Dib. "P-p-pain."

"Shh…it's going to be alright." Dib paused, hugging the boy next to him. "Did you have another seizure?"

"T-two." Zim was shaking, his eyes closed tightly.

Dib glanced over at the digital clock on the wall. It read seven-thirty a.m., meaning that Zim had been trying to wake him up for a while. Dib brushed back antennae that were already flat against Zim's skull in an effort to calm him.

Zim started to calm, but his tears would not stop. He loosened his grip on Dib's shirt, but remained there. Dib managed to leave Zim's side, and headed for one of the cabinets nearby.

"C-cold D-Dib…" Zim whimpered, pulling into himself. "P-please…D-Dib…"

Dib pulled a blanket out of the cabinet, turned and sat next to Zim, wrapping him in the blanket. "Needy, aren't we?" Dib joked, pulling Zim into his lap.

Zim whimpered, clinging to Dib and the blanket. He went limp, leaning heavily on the boy next to him. His crying ceased, but his breathing was barely detectable.

"Zim?" Dib lifted up Zim's chin, looking into hazy eyes. "Hey, you hanging in there?"

The boy in question nodded weakly before closing his eyes, new tears starting down his face.

Dib kissed Zim lightly, lingering a moment before leaning back and staring at the other. "Don't cry. You're safe now, Zim. You don't have to worry." He paused to wipe the tears off Zim's face. "I'm going to go change my clothes. Stay here, I'll be right back."

Dib laid Zim down and quickly left, trying to waste no time in completing what he set out to do. He headed for his room, grabbing a change of clothes before deciding to take a quick shower. It was then that he noticed the blood on his shirt, both from Zim and his own. He had claw marks on his chest from when the Irken was trying to wake him, but they weren't serious.

Ten minutes later, Dib emerged from the bathroom, his scythe-lock hanging to the side, weighted down by water. He was hungry, and grabbed Pot-Tarts before heading to the basement. Dib stopped short once he reached the last step.

The cot was empty, and it sounded like someone was rummaging through the cabinets. One of the few windows was broken, and that sent Dib's nerves off.

Looking around the room cautiously, Dib noticed a bundle of blankets huddled in the corner near the cot. Dib made his way over to the corner, kneeling down and pulling off the blanket. Zim looked up and past Dib, who looked at him confused.

"I told you he was here." A voice snapped from behind them.

Dib turned, glaring at what he saw. He held his one arm out, blocking Zim from them.

Two tall Irkens stood before Dib, one with red eyes and one with purple. Dib recognized them as Zim's leaders.

"So we finally found you, Zim." Red hissed, grinning evilly. "You do realize what that means, right?"

"Ooh! This means we get to torture him again, right?" Purple said happily.

"That and better." Red glared down at Zim. "We can _kill_ him."

Purple joined the other in glaring at the smaller Irken. "That's better than torture!"

Zim clung to the back of Dib's shirt, shaking pitifully. He didn't break eye contact with his leaders, even though he was scared out of his mind.

Dib gritted his teeth. "You'll leave him alone."

Red laughed. "What're you gonna do? Hurt me with your big head?"

"My heads not big!" Dib clenched his hands into fists. This was starting to get personal.

"Look, you--what are your species again? Oh yeah--Human. You're nothing but a pathetic little…thing. You can't do anything."

"You can't protect Zim from us either." Purple chimed in. "Though, he seems attached to you. It doesn't matter. He's still as good as dead."

Dib winced as Zim dug his claws deeper into his back. "You've done enough already, damnit! The effect of what torture you already did to him _is_ killing him!"

As if on command, Zim started to convulse, pulling himself closer to Dib. Zim cried silently into Dib's back, his body hitting him with waves of unbearable pain.

"You're killing him." Dib repeated quietly, more to himself than the others.

The Tallests' antennae perked up at Dibs' outburst. "We are, aren't we?" Purple hissed, glancing at the other.

"Hmm…yes, I believe we are. We'll leave you alone for now." Red grinned evilly. "If we do get bored with this torture game, we'll return to kill it off." With that he headed back out the broken window.

"Hurry up and go! I have nachos to eat!" Purple snapped before following quickly, glaring back at the boys.

Dib stared at the two as they left, imagining what could've happened if he attacked them. He shook the thought from his head; it wasn't a pretty sight, even if it didn't happen.

Zim shifted to wrap his arms around himself, leaning against Dib as his convulsions stopped. He stilled to a point where it was hard to tell if he was still breathing, his eyes blankly staring at the wall.

"They're gone." Dib whispered, turning back to Zim. "It's okay now." He placed a hand on Zim's cheek, but froze when he didn't respond. "Zim?"

---------------------

End of Chapter 3

**Note:** O\\ Ooh…cliffhanger…//O R&R


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own IZ. Sorry for the delay. I got the idea for a normal fic that's not fan-based and needed to start it. This one and _A Cry for Help_ will get finished, I promise. It'll just take a while. So, please deal with my delayed updates.

--------------------

"Zim?" Dib repeated, panicking slightly.

Dib wrapped his arms around Zim, more to check if he was still there than the sake of doing so. Zim was cold, which scared him, but he was still breathing. He didn't move from his spot, though Dib did make him involuntarily.

'_I think he's in shock.'_ Dib thought, pulling Zim closer. _'Hell, I'd be too.'_

Dib stood, picking Zim up and placing him back on the cot. He covered Zim with the blanket before he laid next to him. The alien was starting to shake lightly, which caused Dib to hold him close. Zim's antennae were flat against his skull, and he continued to stare blankly at nothing. His skin had gone pale, his body numb and cold to the touch. Silent tears started down Zim's face as he came out of his daze.

Zim let out a pathetic whimper and buried his face into Dib's chest. "Don't let them hurt me…"

"Shh, its okay, Zim." Dib whispered, petting the alien's antennae. "They're gone."

"They'll be back. You…know that."

"I know. But, I will not let them hurt you again. I promise."

"You can't…promise that." Zim looked up at Dib weakly. "Don't be stupid…Dib-human…"

Dib smiled. "I won't be. Don't worry."

"You better…" Zim quivered, a small blood drop running from his mouth. "Fuck." He coughed.

"You should rest, Zim." Dib wiped the blood from his face. "I could leave you alone for a while." He moved to leave.

"No." Zim gripped Dib's shirt. "Stay. Please."

Dib obeyed, and let the Irken cuddle closer to him. Zim soon settled into a dreamless sleep, leaving Dib with time to think.

Zim's leaders wanted him dead; that was a definite now. He was slowly dying from the torture he received. Dib bit his lip, knowing what would eventually happen.

'_Come on, Dib.'_ He thought. _'You can figure out a way to save him. Maybe you could fix his PAK, even if it is dangerous.'_

And that's what he would do. Dib glanced down at the sleeping Irken, reconsidering his last thought. Zim was too weak now, it could kill him.

'_Maybe later. He needs to recover a bit.'_

Dib hugged Zim close, comforting the sleeping alien. "You'll survive this, Zim. I'll ensure it." He whispered, lightly kissing the Irken's forehead before losing himself in his thoughts.

------------------------

End of Chapter 4

**Note:** Realllly short chapter….man I'm sorry….R&R


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: No owning of IZ here. ** Man, I'm soooooo sorry this took so long, and how short it is. Friends and other ideas distracted me this summer. I started so far a normal fic, a JTHM fic, and just started an Okami fic. And school starts soon, so that just screws things up more. I have to clear out my computer, a.k.a. put everything on disk to prevent massive loss of data, so….I guess this story is partially on hold.

------------

Dib came out of his daze once he heard the front door slam. He didn't know what time it was, nor did he care. Zim stirred, as if to be having a nightmare.

The Irken snapped awake, pulling into Dib's chest. "Its not fair."

"What's not?" Dib whispered, holding Zim as he started to shake.

"This is." Zim convulsed for a moment before going limp.

Dib hugged the boy close. "Zim…"

Zim hissed. "It's not fair. I'm an Invader, Dib. An _Invader_! Trained to take over! To destroy! I'm not supposed to depend on anyone! Only _ourselves_!" He paused, buried his face into Dib's shirt. "But, this is…different. Dib…don't…don't leave me…please."

"I won't." Dib started to rub small circles on the back of Zim's neck. "These convulsions…are they from your PAK?"

"Partly, why?"

Dib hesitated. "I wanted to try to fix it. If you'd let me."

Zim's eyes widened. "You can kill me that way!"

"It could work!"

"No! It wouldn't-" Zim's body tensed, claws digging into flesh.

Dib cringed before continuing quietly. "Please, let me try."

Zim nodded slightly, and slowly undid his hold on the boy. Dib stood, rolling Zim onto his stomach before turning to get something. The Irken cringed, whimpering slightly as Dib returned with some tools. Zim opened his PAK, allowing Dib access to the frying chips inside.

"Careful…Dib-human…" Zim whispered, clutching the cloth beneath him.

-------

Three hours later, Zim lay limp on the bed. He had blacked out a while ago from pain. Dib didn't know if what he did just increased or decreased the Irkens' chances at living.

'_Everything will be fine.'_ Dib thought. _'It will. It has to be.'_

Dib was hungry, but he was in no mood to venture upstairs to confront his sister for food. He would just have to wait a while longer before feeding himself. Besides the nagging feeling of hunger, Dib was bothered by how still Zim was.

'_How did his leaders find him?'_ He smacked himself in the head then. _'Idiot, they have better tracking equipment.'_

It bothered Dib how easily his fathers lab was broken into. You would think that the great Professor Membrane would have a high-tech security system at his home lab. That was clearly not the case. Okay, so there was the experimental "toast-powered" security system, but that's a different story altogether.

Hunger suddenly got control of Dib, and he headed upstairs to the kitchen. He quietly grabbed the cereal and realized there were leftovers on the counter. Not bothering to use the microwave, he devoured the meal cold.

Grabbing a soda he headed back to the lab. He closed the door quietly behind him and made his way down the stairs, freezing at the last step.

---------

End of Chapter 5

**Notes: **R&R I'm sorry for leaving for weeks?, and coming back to leave you with a short little chapter. But next chapter I'll do whe ni get my JTHM fic up and running(hopefully) so if anyone likes that…ya'know….


	6. Chapter 6

**Do not own IZ.** Holy crap, I'm sorry guys! (if anyone is still waiting for this that is..) I left FF for a while and forgot about it. I feel really bad .. I feel even worse because this is another short chapter…

If anytones still reading it, I thank you for waiting. If not, well apparently you're reading now!

Dib paused as he stared ahead. He dropped his soda involuntarily, heading over towards the direction of the cot. He hesitated for a moment, his nerves rising.

Zim had shifted, his upper body hanging partly off the cot. He was dry heaving, a puddle of blood already on the floor. He was shaking, attempting to curl into himself. His skin had paled further, now taking on a white tint to it.

"Oh God, Zim.." Dib whispered, shifting in place. He wanted to move to the others side so badly, but his body wouldn't move.

The Irken shivered as a chill crawled up his spine. Zim's eyes opened in weak slits as more blood made its way from his throat. He looked over at Dib slowly, a fine line of blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. He coughed, sending his body into spasms.

Dib snapped out of his trance, his body finally responding to his command. He rushed to Zim's side, heart pounding in his ears. This was not a pretty sight; it gave Dib a sickening feeling in his gut.

Zim made a small noise as Dib approached him, causing Dib to move a bit quicker. Dib sat behind Zim on the cot, laying a hand on his head. Zim dragged himself into Dib's lap, his lower body still remaining on the cot. Dib pulled Zim close, so that he was completely in his lap.

"This is my fault, isn't it?" Dib whispered, hugging Zim tightly.

Zim shook his head lightly, nuzzling closer to Dib. He was cold, and was seeking warmth where he could. He barely had the strength to breathe, leaving him unable to answer Dib fully. There was things he wanted to tell him. His mind was just too clouded to think of what they were.

Dib could sense that Zim wanted to tell him something. He knew that this was a side-effect of what he did; it just had to be. He was pretty much fine before he tinkered with his pak. He knew that Zim would deny that, especially now. Dib tilted his head down and placed a light kiss on the others head.

"I'm sorry." Dib whispered.

Zim's antennae flinched before plastering themselves to the back of his head. He was so tired, but he struggled to stay awake. He was afraid of not waking up again. As his eyes slipped closed, he knew he had just lost the battle with sleep and prayed that he wouldn't leave Dib behind.

--

Dib didn't move after Zim fell asleep. He could feel the Irken's shallow breathing, the only sign that he was still alive. He was afraid of leaving his side, knowing that he was probably the only thing keeping Zim warm.

He was tired, but fought off the sleep that confronted him. He was worried, plain and simple. There was too much that had changed. They could never life live life like they used to: carefree. There would be no more chases. No more fights. Just trust formed when a crisis did. Not to be changed, possible to modification.

Nothing could be changed now anyway. There was no going back. No matter what the outcome was, Dib knew it would affect them forever.

**Notes:** R&R please. I'm hoping to finish this story this year! Unless the idea keeps going! Lemme know what you guys think!


	7. Chapter 7

**NO own of IZ.** Hey! I finished this early! Whoo Enjoy! (Hopefully)

--

Dib didn't sleep all night. He was afraid that he would miss something important. He was exhausted, but refused to sleep. He could sleep some other time. Dib yawned, his body crying for rest.

'_No. I can't sleep yet..'_ Dib thought, staring ahead blankly.

He had watched Zim sleep all night. Dib was looking for signs that Zim was in any distress during the night. He did this partly because it was apparent that Zim would be unable to wake him. The Irken could not speak nor move. Dib had only left his side when he had to. He currently sat next to the cot, trying to remain awake.

Zim stirred, emitting a small whine while opening his eyes in slits. His skin remained pale, enhancing his sickly appearance. The Irken was lying on his stomach, head tilted to face Dib. He weakly reached for the boy, wanting the warmth back.

Dib almost jumped when he saw that Zim was awake. He was extremely happy that he had survived the night. That was one obstacle overcome and one step closer to recovery.

"Hey, you feel any better?" Dib said, taking Zim's hand in his. His free hand brushed back the Irkens antennae.

Zim blinked slowly, gripping Dibs hand tight. He mouthed the words "a little" before nuzzling against the hand on his head.

"That's better than nothing." Dib smirked.

Zim was happy to wake up. He feared leaving this all behind in the middle of the night. He didn't want to leave what was his. Zim pulled on Dibs' arm, motioning for him to move closer. Dib did as Zim had motioned, hugging him.

"What is it, Zim?" Dib whispered.

Zim gripped Dib's shoulder tightly, making sure his point got across. "Mine.." he hissed weakly, voice barely detectable.

Dib blushed lightly, saying nothing. He didn't know what to say to Zim's sudden liking to him. His earlier thoughts were right; there was no turning back now. Once Zim was healed there would be no hate between them. Dib was just not sure on what would replace that hate.

Zim coughed, slipping back down on the cot. He was still tired, still wanting to sleep. Dib laid next to Zim then, also seeking sleep. He wrapped one arm around Zim, pulling him close. Sleep welcomed them, shutting out the world.

--

A loud slam woke both boys up. Zim remained still, clinging to Dib's shirt. Dib listened cautiously as footsteps came down the stairs.

"Fuck!" Dib hissed, sitting up and standing next to the cot. He was prepared for almost anything.

Zim whined, hiding under the sheet that ended up on the cot. He was fearing that the noise was his leaders, back again for him.

Dib froze when he saw that the footsteps came from his father.

'_Oh, great. How am I supposed to explain this one?'_ Dib fumbled for an idea.

Professor Membrane stared at his son. "Hello, son! What are you doing down here? Have you seen my keys?" He glanced over to the cot. "What's under that?"

"Hi dad. Oh..nothing! I'm not doing nothing! I haven't seen your keys arou-Don't look under there!" Dib flailed to try to stop his father.

Professor Membrane threw the sheet off the cot, exposing the injured Irken. He stared at Zim, not saying anything.

"Uh..Dad I think your keys are upstairs!" Dib blurted, scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas.

"Really? I would never thought that!" The Professor yelled, rushing upstairs.

Dib sighed in relief, remembering how dense his father was. Zim whimpered, reaching for him. He was still shaken up from it. Dib returned to Zim's side, planning to fall back to sleep.

--

**Notes** R&R Not too bad, right?


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer. No IZ ownage.** I got a longer chapter I think. Yay! Let's hear it for this fic, still alive and kicking! Prepare for some emotional stress here!

--

Zim whimpered in his sleep, shaking weakly. He seemed to be having a bad dream. He was starting to cry, his whimpering becoming louder. Claws dug into flesh as his heart raced. The Irken's face twisted in pain, his body stiffening.

--

_Hands reached for a small figure, gripping limbs painfully. The hands belonged to his comrades. They dragged him down a long hallway, the little Irken resisting the whole way. _

_Zim was thrown into the room, landing at his Tallests' feet. He pushed himself up, dusting off before greeting them. The Tallest glared at him, one of them motioning towards their staff._

_Wires shot down, attaching to Zim's pak. Zim screamed, the wires burning and shocking him as they bore deeper into his pak. The pain was immeasurable, the small Irken shaking as it wracked his body. His screams stopped as the shocks did, looking up with wide eyes at his leaders._

_They said nothing, moving closer to Zim. A swift kick hit Zim in the face, cutting his cheek. His head swung to the side, pulling a muscle in his neck. He hissed, trying to recover._

_The next thing Zim knew was a blur. Metal legs followed claws in abusing the small figure. Gashes began covering Zim's body, some deeper than others. Bruises were making themselves known as the assault stopped. One of the leaders stepped on Zim's left arm, the small Irken's eyes widening. He screamed as a snap was heard, tears pushing their way from his eyes._

"_You're pathetic, Zim." Red hissed, pressing harder on his arm. "Useless."_

_Zim whimpered. "No.."_

"_Useless. Completely useless." Purple chimed in. "Why did we let you become an Invader in the first place slips my mind." _

_The Tallest backed off as a new surge of electricity flowed into Zim._

"_We're destroying your base, Zim."_

_Zim screamed. "No!"_

"_You're never going back. We figured you wouldn't mind." Tallest Red smirked. "We planed to track down your S.I.R., but we realized its no threat to revealing us. That part of the plan changed." He paused as the electricity was cut, stepping closer. "But, we still plan to destroy you."_

_A large screen came down, like in a movie. But, Zim knew what was going to be shown was no movie. He saw the target lock on his house. The house was destroyed in seconds, leaving Zim staring blankly at the crater that formed, antennae lowering._

"_You see now Zim? You're never going back there." With that they left the room, leaving Zim broken on the floor._

_The small Irken knew he had to escape before they came back. The wires were still attached to him, he had to get those off first. Zim reached back, beginning to pry one of them off. The electricity returned, pulsing through him._

_Zim screamed, but refused to stop. This would either let him go or kill him. He was willing to take the risk. The pain grew with each passing moment, blinding him. Zim's motor skills were starting to fail._

_After what seemed like an eternity, the connection was severed. The shocks dulled out as the wires retracted. Zim laid limp for a moment, knowing he didn't have long until his Tallest returned. He stayed still until his body wasn't twitching so much._

_Zim pushed himself up with a scream, starting to move while he still had the balance to. He had to make it to the escape pods. They were quick enough that he could get back to earth within a few days._

_Running on adrenaline, Zim ran to the pods, barely avoiding guards. A few caught him, beating him further as he fought to claim his freedom._

--

Dib realized he had to wake Zim up. "Hey, wake up." He gripped the Irken's shoulder, shaking him.

Zim yelped awake, pushing to get away from Dib. He was freaking out, not seeing what was in front of him. His antennae were flat against his scalp, which was slowly getting damp from his panicked state. 

"Get away from me!" Zim screeched, his voice hoarse.

Dib held Zim still. "Calm down, Zim! It's just me!"

Zim pushed free of Dib, falling off the cot and curling up on the floor. He screamed again, holding his arm in his lap. He was crying, shaking pitifully as he whimpered. 

Dib jumped up, kneeling next to Zim. He placed a hand on the Irken's shoulder, causing him to flinch. Zim seemed to come out of his daze, blinking slowly, allowing new tears out.

Zim whimpered. "Dib.." He clung to the human then, hiding his face in the boys chest.

Dib wrapped his arms around Zim, the action muffling the Irken's sobs. "It's okay, Zim. It was only a dream."

Zim shook his head, pulling closer to the human. He was shaking, causing his breathing to sound weak. Dib held him tighter, trying to stop his shaking. He didn't know how else to help Zim at this point.

--

**Notes:** R&R please! I like to know what my readers think!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: See previous chapter.** Hello again! I would like to say that I might do a small time-skip in the next chapter. I figure it's be easier than drawing this out anymore.

--

Zim continued to shake as his tears stopped. His dream was still ringing in his ears, the truth of it hitting him hard. That was no ordinary dream; it was a memory. That was what Zim didn't want to relive.

Dib stroked the Irken's antennae, trying to calm him. He wasn't sure what else to do for Zim. He understood some of which Zim was mumbling. Dib figured that Zim's dream was of when he was captured, which would explain his reaction to being woken up.

Zim whimpered, causing Dib to try harder to comfort him. Dib figured that he would calm down soon. Whatever he saw defiantly freaked him out.

Footsteps once again were heard coming down the stairs. Zim pulled closer to Dib, trying to hide. Dib wrapped his arms protectively around Zim, glaring at the staircase. Zim would not recover if he continued to be mentally stressed like this. Every loud noise was reminding him of his pain. It wouldn't be much longer before his whole personality changed and he would be left clinging to Dib for everything.

Dib tensed up when he saw that his father had returned. He hoped that he would just remain oblivious to the scene before him. He did not want to explain what was going on.

"Son, have you seen my toast cannon?" Membrane looked around, shrugging when he saw nothing.

Membrane walked over to the desk, rummaging through the papers. Dib didn't know what he was looking for, but it made him nervous. Membrane walked past Dib, stumbling over his feet.

"Oh, hello son! Why are you on the floor?" Membrane waved at Dib, pausing to lean down. "What is that you got there? It looks like your little green friend from school."

Dib fumbled for words as his father got closer, examining the green boy. He didn't know what to say.

"Funny, he looks like one of your silly alien creatures…" Membrane paused, thinking.

Dib stiffened. "Well, uh, about that…see its nothing-really! Seriously! Don't think anything of it!"

Membrane jumped up. "I would believe that he was an alien--If it wasn't for REAL SCIENCE!"

Dib relaxed as his father ran off. He gave Zim a reassuring hug, smirking to himself as the Irken pulled closer.

"Don't worry about him. He's too dense to realize what you are."

Zim nodded, calming slightly. He let sleep overcome him, knowing half of his fear was gone.

--

**Notes:** R&R please! I like this here feedback!


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own IZ.** Hey! I'm not dead! I just started failing school and had to study more! I hope I didn't lose anyone!

It was over a week before Zim could trust his surroundings enough to follow Dib around. Zim did not follow Dib around often; he wasn't that strong yet. But, he had healed well in the time spent hiding. He was now able to make it up the stairs to the couch with some assistance.

Zim was still skiddish, jumping and clinging to Dib at the first sign of an unfamiliar presence. His wounds had pretty much healed over, minus the broken arm. His color had started to return along with his strength.

Dib had left before Zim woke up. The Irken wasn't sure where he went, but he wished that Dib stayed. Panic lightly graced Zim as his chest tightened in the all to familiar feeling.

Zim coughed, leaning over the edge of the cot as his body revolted. Red colored the tile as the Irken shook. He hadn't had a spell in a few days, and the sudden relapse scared him. Tears began to form behind closed eyes as more red spilled o the floor.

'_This is not good…'_

He looked around franticly as his vision blurred, instincts driving him away from his current position. Falling off the cot and slipping in his own blood before gaining some form of balance, Zim headed toward where the stairs should be.

---

Dib returned home to find that the house was still empty. He placed the grocery bags on the counter and proceeded to put the items away. Lingering upstairs was not something he planned to do, but it seemed to be the way things were going.

Grabbing a quick bite to eat, Dib headed down the stairs. Dib froze as he approached the bottom of the stairs.

"Zim..!" Dib gasped as he ran down the stairs, missing some and almost falling.

The Irken was lying on the floor, his feet on the stairs. His head and shoulders were turned to the right, opposite of the rest of him, hands resting under his chin.

Dib dropped to his knees next to Zim, hesitating before placing a hand on his shoulder. Dib cringed at how cold the Irken was, fearing the worst. "Zim…"

The Irken whimpered, his face twisting in faint pain.

Dib shifted, grabbing one of Zim's legs, slowly turning them until his body faced the same direction. Zim let out a cry as his legs were moved, claws scraping the floor beneath him. Dib cradled Zim, trying to gain a way to carry him. The Irken was limp, weakly grabbing onto Dib's shirt as he was moved.

"Shit.." Dib whispered as he saw the blood on the floor.

Dib looked around before deciding to move Zim to his room. Zim clung to the boy as he rushed to the upper level. Dib laid Zim on his bed carefully, resting a hand on the Irken's head.

Heavy green eyelids opened in slits, eyes not seeing. "I…..panicked…." Hoarse words forced with heavy breath. "Fell….."

"It's okay." Dib bit his lip as he stared at the now pale Irken. This was a step backwards; just this morning he had been fine.

Zim shut his eyes tight as he felt his chest tighten. He pushed against Dib's hand, dragging himself to the edge of the bed. Red dyed the floor before Dib could react.

Zim gripped the mattress tight as a weak scream forced its way from his throat. He was frustrated at his condition. He was recovering so well when fate decided to stab him in the back. Tears formed at the edges of closed eyes as the scream turned into the sounds similar to that of a frustrated child.

Dib's heart sank as he saw more blood grace the floor. Feeling hopeless, Dib was at a loss for what to do next.

**Notes:** R&R please! I'm sorry for the short chapter! Don't kill me!


End file.
